Most colleges in the past few years have gone test optional in large part because of the testing problems that occured with Covid. But what is happening with BS/MD programs and test optional colleges?
Most BS/MD programs continue to require that scores be submitted from either the SAT or ACT. This is true even for those colleges that allow test optional applications. Therefore, if you are considering applying to a BS/MD program, you must have a score from one of the tests. There are a few colleges that are test optional for the BS/MD programs. However, even for those colleges we recommend taking and ideally submitting a test score to the college. We make this recommendation because even if a college is test optional, in many cases, students submitting test scores seem to get admitted at a higher rate than those students without a test score. There are of course exceptions but to be in a postion to be as strong as you possibly can for admissions to one of these programs, consider submitting test scores.
When we suggest submitting test scores for BS/MD programs that are test optional, this assumes that you have a solid test score to submit, ie. 1,450 plus or a 32 plus. What if you took a test and it is lower than these scores? If it is not significantly lower, we would probably suggest to still submit the score. However, if the score is significantly lower, we would recommend you not submit the score. Might that have some impact on your competitiveness for the program? Yes, but a significantly lower score would have even more negative impact on admissions.
There is a BS/DO program, Pitzer/Western University of Health Sciences, that will not accept test scores but that is the only program that I know of at this time that won’t accept test scores.
The bottom line with test optional admissions is that it has made very little difference in admissions to BS/MD programs.
[…] the movement at many colleges to go test optional, most BS/MD programs still require students submit an ACT or SAT score. In deciding how to prepare for the ACT or SAT […]